LA Metro has finally begun physical construction on a new light rail line meant to provide better connectivity in Los Angeles‘ San Fernando Valley.
On Monday, LA Metro announced it had broken ground on the East San Fernando Valley light rail project, which will connect Van Nuys with Pacoima along the Van Nuys Boulevard corridor.
The new light rail line is 6.7 miles long and includes 11 stations. It is tentatively scheduled to begin operating by 2032.
When completed, it will run from the Van Nuys G Line station to a planned Metrolink station in Pacoima on San Fernando Road. Other connections include the Van Nuys Metrolink/Amtrak station and the eventual Sepulveda subway line.
Read More: LA’s subway system could have major delays into 2027
The East San Fernando Valley Line—letter designation still pending—is part of LA Metro’s ongoing expansion initiatives, and it is meant to improve “access to jobs, schools, healthcare, and key destinations, while reducing emissions.”
“This will be the first rail transit on Van Nuys Blvd. since the Pacific Electric streetcars ceased running on the street in 1952,” LA Metro officials wrote on social media.
San Fernando Valley light rail is behind schedule and over budget
Despite the celebratory nature of Monday’s groundbreaking, the project is already considered to be behind schedule and over budget.
According to the Los Angeles Times, construction was originally meant to begin in 2021 with the line operational by 2027—in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
The initial budget was about $1.3 billion but has since ballooned to nearly $4 billion, the Times reports.
Costs have risen sharply across the construction and infrastructure sectors, and officials have noted the budget challenges as the major cause for the delay in construction.
Still, despite being at least five years overdue, the East San Fernando Valley Line should be a welcome addition to a region of Los Angeles County that has long been overlooked for eco-friendly transit options.
More than 1.8 million people live in the San Fernando Valley, accounting for a significant segment of Los Angeles’ population.
Aside from the G Line and the B Line just barely poking into the valley (and spotty Metrolink service), there’s little in the way of permanent, reliable transit options in the area.
Two LA Metro bus lines that currently serve the Van Nuys Boulevard route recorded about 20,000 boardings in September, LA Metro officials said.
The San Fernando Valley light rail line has the potential to completely transform the region, which is one of the busiest and most car-dependent areas in Los Angeles County.
But LA Metro needs to prove it can get the job done in a timely manner. Five years overdue is five more years of emissions, traffic, roadway wear and tear, and money and time lost by residents who have had no other options.
Read More: Metrolink’s new higher fares are now in effect
The new light rail line will see the removal of some parking spots, and some business owners will likely be affected by the ongoing construction. To address that, LA Metro has set up a grant system to help mitigate some of those costs.
It’s a shame the San Fernando Valley light rail won’t be ready in time for the Olympics, but kudos to Los Angeles County for leading the way with its public transit expansions.
Hopefully LA Metro’s other upcoming transit projects—the Sepulveda Line, the Southeast Gateway Line, the North Hollywood to Pasadena BRT and the eventual K Line extension—can avoid a similar fate and stick to their original timelines and budgets.
But I wouldn’t hold my breath.
For more information about Monday’s groundbreaking, click here.
For more stories like this, follow Rabble News on Instagram and Facebook.
